RFE/RL NEWSLINE 
Vol. 1, No. 122, 22 September 1997

UNCTAD ASSESSES 1996 FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN EAST. A UN
Agency for Trade and Development report on foreign investment in
1996 puts Poland at the top of a list of former Eastern bloc recipients
of foreign direct investment, Reuters reported on 22 September.
Poland is followed by Hungary, Russia, the Czech Republic, Romania,
Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. Direct investment in Georgia,
Armenia, Lithuania, and Latvia rose in 1996,. compared with the
previous year, but fell in Estonia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and
Turkmenistan.

ETHNIC HUNGARIAN ALLIANCE IN ROMANIA POSTPONES DECISIONS.
At a meeting in Odorheiul Secuiesc on 21 September, the Council of
Representatives of the Hungarian Democratic Federation of Romania
(UDMR) postponed until its October congress taking a decision on
whether to transform the alliance into a political party, Romanian
media reported. The council also postponed a decision on whether to
abolish the function of honorary chairman. Reformed Bishop Laszlo
Toekes, who currently holds that post, is opposed to the UDMR
leadership's moderate line and to the UDMR's continued participation
in the ruling coalition. UDMR chairman Bela Marko told the gathering
that some representatives of the coalition partners have adopted
positions that make the continuation of the partnership difficult. He
also said that the opposition has fascist-like tendencies.


ROMANIAN NATIONALISTS DEMONSTRATE IN TARGU MURES.
Romanian nationalists demonstrated in Targu Mures on 21
September against Hungarian ethnic minority influence on
government policies. They called for an alliance of nationalist and
leftist forces to be formed immediately. Cluj Mayor Gheorghe Funar
said the UDMR should hold its congress next month outside
Transylvania, Reuters and Romanian media reported. Adrian
Paunescu, the first deputy chairman of the Socialist Unity Party, said
Romania has been "transformed into a colony." He accused ethnic
Hungarians of planning a repeat of the March 1990 inter-ethnic
clashes. One day earlier, Funar said in Cluj that Targu Mures
Romanians should oust the ethnic Hungarian mayor. He noted that he
is willing to become acting mayor there in order to "establish order."
The demonstration was attended by Party of Romanian National
Unity chairman Valeriu Tabara, and Greater Romania Party leader
Corneliu Vadim Tudor sent a message to the protesters.

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